[Overview of the interstitial lung disease in the Southeast of Mexico]

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) corresponds to a heterogeneous group of pathologies that differ in etiology with common clinical and radiological manifestations. In Latin America and Mexico, reports are scarce and the need for studies to understand the scenario is emphasized.

To analyze a multidimensional profile in patients with interstitial lung disease in Yucatan.

This is an observational, prospective, analytic, descriptive study including consecutive patients diagnosed with ILD over a 4-year period. Demographic and clinical data, lung function tests, chest imaging, serum immunological profile, and echocardiographic findings were recorded. Differences between subgroups were analyzed performing a one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA).

110 patients were included. The median age was 60 years and women were most affected. The main cause of ILD was related with connective tissue diseases (CTD). A group subanalysis revealed that Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) was common in males with a history of smoking and an imaging pattern of usual interstitial pneumonia. Lung function tests showed a moderate-to-severe pulmonary restriction (FVC 55%p) and mild hypoxemia (PaO2 79mmHg). Positive antinuclear antibodies are less likely in cases with IPF (20 vs. 65%; p = 0.006).

In Southeastern Mexico, ILD occurs in women in their seventh decade of life; the most common cause is related with CTD. Our results support that ILD has a heterogeneous expression and is relevant the need for subsequent studies characterizing each ILD.